My gut wrenched as Dream poured his past out to me. My stomach churned and I felt disgusted, at Faelan and at my self.
I was the reason a loving relationship fell apart, I was the reason Dream was going through all of this.
I made him miserable.
"I'm so sorry"
He hugged me tighter
"No, you don't understand"
I pulled away, hiding my face from him
"It's okay"
"It's me"
"What?"
I felt his hands worm their way into mine
"I was the one Faelan was cheating on you with"
The silence that enveloped the cafe was so thick a knife could cut through it!
"W-what?"
"It's...me"
"..."
"All those years, I'm the reason why you and Faelan are torn apart... I'm so sorry Dream"
"I want to hear your side of the story, you'll leave nothing out...and I know you were never at fault"
I scooted closer to him and began to tell him of how Faelan and I met and how we drifted apart.
"What? He got engaged without telling you? That fucker! My goodness he even pulled the 'you never supported me' card on you' too! Classic Faelan!"
"He said it was an impromptu arranged marriage and yes he made me feel like shit"
"I call Lies!"
"Well"
Suddenly, Dream held me by my shoulders, his filtered eyes staring into my soul
"Did you two ever get...ahem...intimate...as in...sex?"
I shook my head "we almost did, but he said he would only do so when I became his... legally"
"Sweet talker"
I snickered, Dream hugged me again
"I'm so sorry, you had to go through that"
"Dream, it's very little compared to what he has done to you, that being said, we have to report him! He's a sex offender on the loose!"
"It's pointless"
"Huh?"
"Do you think the police will believe me if I walked into their station and tell them uprising artist Faelan raped me?"
"..."
"I might even get sued for slander and defamation, don't even get me started on when some reporter or something follows up the case, it's going to be disastrous. He has money and power on his side, what do we have Elora?"
"But still..."
"It's okay Elora, look at me! I'm fine, I'm strong too you know. I'm not as weak as you baby me to be"
"..."
"This is my cross, so let me carry it"
His grip was me tightened and I felt my heart ache and sink so much
"I won't give up though"
"Ah, stubborn"
I scoffed and wiped my eyes. I withdrew from the hug,
"There's someone I need to apologize to, c'mon let's freshen you up and go home"
Pushing myself up, I searched for my phone, pulling Dream along with me
"I think I left it in the back, let's go wash our faces"
I found my phone sitting on the counter, a clean napkin was next to the plate rack, I soaked it and began wiping his face.
I searched for Iun, "you know what? I think it should wait"
"Why?" His orbs slit to a narrow gaze, "well, I don't know, I just want some space between us"
Wet fingers and a napkin dabbed at my skin as he took the napkin from me and wiped away at my face
"That's not a tangible reason but okay, just don't put too much space, from what you've told me and what I've seen, I don't think he wants that too"
I felt my cheeks burn a bit, "we're just friends"
"Yeah right" the woodland elf rolled his eyes with a smirk
"I'm serious!"
"Elora, friends don't go on dates, they don't express romantic interests to each other"
Well he was right,
"Just because your first love didn't go well doesn't mean the others won't...I get it that you're scared not just by your past but with the circumstances given, that shouldn't stop you from being happy"
"...but I am happy"
"Yes, you are but this won't last"
"..."
"At some point, loneliness will set in and you'll begin to get bored of my company"
"What? No, that will never happen!"
"It will, Elora we are not deities who can hold feelings and ties forever, even deities get bored of each other. We are elves, it will surely happen"
"No"
"Elora, please don't cry again, I just wiped your face" I blinked back hot tears
"I'm not crying"
He chuckled, "hmm"
"Let's go home"
We locked up the cafe, hailed a taxi to the Whale Train Station and another home.
We were back in our safe haven.